Cushioned rocker.



N". 898,340. 'PATEN'1"51), SEPT. 8, 1908.

- W. DINGMAN.

GUSHIONED ROGKER. APPLICATION FILED 4113.6, 1908.

. .lV////MM UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

WILLIAM DINGMAN, or DRESDEN, oIIIo, AssIGNoE oF ONE-HALE To I. w. LANNING, or DREsDEN, oI-no.

CUSHIONED ROCKER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DINGMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dresden, in the countyA of Muskingum and' State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cushioned Rockers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a cushioned rocker, and has for its object the peculiar construction of a rocker which may be used in the construction of a rocking chair, hobbyhorse, and like devices.

Another object of the invention is the construction ofa rocker which is provided with a rubber tire that is exposed upon the under-face of the rocker intermediate the ends thereof, whereby` the life of the tirevis greatly increased by reason of the fact that the ends of the tire are protected by the ends of the rocker.

A further object of the invention is the peculiar construction of a cushioned rocker which comprises a minimum number of parts, is efficient in operation, and durable, as well as comparatively inexpensive to construct.

With these and other objects in view, this invention consists of certainother novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a rocker constructed in accordance with the present invention7 and showing the same secured to the legs of a chair. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view of the body of the rocker, and showing a tire positioned thereon. Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3, 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is afragmentary view in side elevation ofthe rocker, and showing the end of the rocker bearing against the floor. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional view of the body of the rocker.

Referring to 'the drawings by numerals, 1 designates the body of a rocker, which may be formed of any suitable material, as for instance, wood, metal, or paper-pulp. The rocker, as hereinbefore mentioned, may be secured to the legs of a chair when it is desired to construct a rocking chair, or said rocker may be secured to the legs of a hobbyhorse, or like devices.

It is to be noted that, in constructing a Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1908.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 425,583.

chair, a pair of rockers would be necessitated, but each rocker would be of similar structure, and, of course, my invention relates to the construction of the rocker, and it will only be necessary to describe one, irrespective of the specific kind of a seat or body which the rocker, or rockersis to support.

The body of the rocker is provided in its under-face with a longitudinally-extending groove 3, which groove 3 is formed on the under-face between the side-edges, and said groove terminates at its ends in upwardlyextending sockets 4, which sockets terminate at their inner ends in inclined apertures 5. The sockets 4, together with apertures 5, constitute apertures near the ends of the body of the rocker, which apertures are each formed of a pair of portions of different dimensions or diameters. rlhe aperture 5 is screw-threaded upon side-portions 6, Fig. 5, for the purpose hereinafter specified.

A yieldable or cushioned tire 7 is provided with a metallic member, as for instance, wire 8 extending throughout its length, and the wire extends beyond the ends of the tire, which tire is, preferably, .formed of solid rubber, and is tubular in shape, so that the same can readily be positioned in the groove 3 and the ends seated or placed in the sockets 4, and the ends 8a of the wire 8 are positioned in the apertures 5 and project beyond their outer ends upon the outer face or ends of the rocker. The extended ends of the wire or metallic reinforcing member are bent over as at 9 against the shoulders 10 on the ends of the body 1, constituting hooks which assist in securing the cushioned tread or tire in the groove 3. ln each of the threaded portions 6 of apertures 5 is threaded a screw 11, which screw 11 bites or grips the extended ends Sa of the wire S and fixedly secures the tire in the groove 3. If it is desired, the tire or cushioned tread may be further secured in the groove 3 byv any suitable adhesive material, as for instance, glue, which may be inserted or deposited into the groove 3 prior to the insertion of the cushioned tire or tread therein. It will be obvious that the tread or tire extends beyond the lower face of the body 1 of the rocker and, under normal conditions, engage the floor or support upon which the rocker is mounted. However, if the rocker is rocked too far forward or backward, the extreme ends 12 of the body of the rocker will engage the support (Fig. 4) and thereby prevent the pressure or weight of the load upon the rocker to be concentrated at one point on the cushioned tread or tire, whereby I have provided an admirable guard at each end of my cushioned rocker for the cushioned tread or tire. The cushioned tread or tire is, therefore, projected intermediate its length beyond one face of the body and has its ends extending into the body intermediate the ends thereof; the extended ends being fixedly secured against accidental displacement within the body at its ends.

I have found, from practical experience, that, with a rocker constructed in accordance with my invention, if the rocker is rocked too far in either direction, owing to the gradual extending of the tire or cushioned tread into the rocker body, near its ends, the weight will gradually be removed off of the tread as the rocker is swung down at one end until the entire load is bearing upon the solid or unilexible body at its lowest end, or that end engaging the support upon which the rocker is carried. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the screws not only constitute wedges but that, by reason of the threaded structure, they cannot accidentally be displaced, besides the heads of" the screws bear down upon the hooked ends 9 and further assist in holding these hooked or angularly-disposed ends at an angle to the ends of the wires projecting beyond the ends of the flexible tube, which also insures of a very durable and eflicient lock for holding the tire in position.

My cushioned rocker will prevent scarring or injuring of highly polished furniture and floors, and, furthermore, will produce an efficient rocker fora chair, owing to the cushion effect obtained by my tread.

What I claim is:

1. A cushioned rocker, comprising a body provided with a groove in only its lower face and with upwardly-extending sockets opening at their lower ends upon the grooves and terminating at their upper ends in apertures extending through the body, a rubber tire positioned in said groove and having its ends seated in the sockets, a metallic fasteningmember extending through the tire and projecting beyond the ends thereof and through the apertures and beyond the upper or outer ends of said apertures, and fastening means positioned in the body of the rocker and engaging the metallic fastening member in the groove, formed intermediate its ends, and

only upon one face, said body provided with apertures at its ends, and each aperture communicating at one end with an end of the groove, a cushioned tire, provided with a wire therein, said tire positioned in the groove, and said wire having its ends projecting beyond the body of the tire and extending through the apertures and bent at an angle against the outer ends of the body, and detachable fastening means positioned in the apertures and engaging portions of the wire within said apertures for securing the tire in the groove.

3. A cushioned rocker, comprising a body, a tire provided with a wire extending therethrough, said tire having a portion extending beyond one face of the body and its ends extending into the body intermediate the ends of the body, the ends of the wire extending through the rocker a't its ends and bent at an angle against the outer face of the body, and screws threaded into said body and biting or gripping portions of the wire for holding the tire upon the body.

4. A cushioned rocker, comprising a curved body provided at its ends with shoulders, said body provided with a longitudinally-extending groove, and with sockets at the ends of said groove, said body provided with apertures opening at one end contiguous to said shoulders and opening at their opposite ends uponv said sockets, a tire positioned in said groove, said tire comprising a rubber body provided with a wire extending therethrough and. projecting beyond its ends, the projecting ends of said wire extending through the apertures and bent at an angle against the shoulders, and screws threaded into the ends of the body parallel with the extended ends of the wire, and the heads of said screws serving to hold the bent ends of the wire against the shoulders.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM DINGMAN. 

